Finance

What Is the Taylor Rule? The Taylor Rule (sometimes referred to as Taylor’s rule or Taylor principle) is an equation linking the Federal Reserve’s benchmark interest rate to levels of inflation and economic growth. Stanford economist John Taylor originally proposed the rule as a rough guideline for monetary policy but has subsequently urged a fixed-rule…

We researched and reviewed over 250 banks, credit unions, and financial institutions to find the best CD rates you see above on this list. While we write individual reviews for most, we do not always write reviews for those we would not recommend. Below are the banks, credit unions, and financial institutions we researched along…

Adding a co-signer to an auto loan could make it easier to get approved if you have a poor or limited credit history. Lenders may be more willing to give you a loan when your co-signer has an established credit history and a good credit score. You may also be able to qualify for lower…

We researched and reviewed over 250 banks, credit unions, and financial institutions to find the best CD rates you see above on this list. While we write individual reviews for most, we do not always write reviews for those we would not recommend. Below are the banks, credit unions, and financial institutions we researched along…

Charles Schwab (SCHW) is a financial services company that operates through various subsidiaries to provide asset management, discount brokerage, banking, and advisory services. Its closest competitors in the discount brokerage sector include Fidelity and Interactive Brokers. Schwab’s asset management and advisory services pit it against firms such as Goldman Sachs. Its mutual fund offerings are…

When refinancing a second home, you will see a lot of familiar territory. Like refinancing your main home, a lender will look at your income, credit score, debts and home equity. Meanwhile, you’ll want to shop around by checking rates, including fees, from several lenders to get the best deal for your refi. How to…

How To Buy Treasury Securities There are several ways to buy treasuries as investments; they can be purchased as Treasury bills, Treasury notes, Treasury bonds, Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) and as Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). People with brokerage accounts can put their funds into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or into Treasury money market funds that invest…

What Is a Custodial Account? Custodial accounts are generally savings accounts at banks, mutual fund companies or brokerages that are usually controlled by one person on behalf of one other person. A custodial account is typically controlled by an adult for a minor, a person who is not yet 18 or 21 years old (the…

What Is Alpha? Paradoxically, alpha (α) in investing represents an investment strategy’s ability to beat the market – its ‘edge’. Alpha is therefore also referred to as excess return or the abnormal rate of return over and above the benchmark once the risk of the investment relative to its benchmark has been accounted for. Alpha…